419 scam: "carman lapointe"<carman_info1@un.org> $1.5M ATM Card.

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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "money gram" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "mtcn" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- carman_info1@mynet.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "carman lapointe" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <carman_info1@mynet.com>
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 2011 20:55:13 -0800
Subject: $1.5M ATM Card.

From Ms. Carman Lapointe,
United Nations OIOS.

Sir,

This is a final notice to the previous notice that was sent to you regarding the release of your $1.5m payment, i have arrived Nigeria from USA after series of meetings with the US government, world bank president and the un secretary general due to numerous complaints from the FBI and other security agencies from Asia, Europe and the united states of America respectively, against the Nigerian government on the rate of payment delay activities going on in Nigeria.

I have met with the Nigerian elected president who claimed ignorant of the evil act in his country but promised to make sure that all fund beneficiaries receive their funds within the next 48hrs. Your name was among the list of unpaid beneficiaries that have not received their payment due to one reason or the other.

Right now, as directed in our meeting with the Nigerian government, they have approved a part- payment of $1.5m to all fund beneficiaries which you are among. We have instructed the Nigerian government to release this approved fund to you via an ATM card for easy delivery to you.

I am contacting you because you are one of the beneficiaries that have not claimed their funds, you have less than 48hrs to send the courier fee of your $1.5m ATM card delivery else your $1.5m inheritance ATM card payment will be deactivated, this is because the UN auditors have requested us to submit all unclaimed payment files for cancellation and returning of all the unclaimed funds to the government treasury as unclaimed funds.
I have a limited time to stay in Africa because i have to report back to the auditors before going back to the united states

The total cost of your ATM card delivery is $198 but the only fee you shall pay in order to receive your $1.5m ATM card is an initial part payment of $98 only while the balance of $100 will be paid after the delivery of your ATM card.
As soon as the $98 courier part payment is received, your ATM card delivery will proceed and shall arrive your destination within 24hrs. If you send the $98 courier part payment today, the ATM card package delivery will proceed tomorrow and will arrive your destination next tomorrow. You should also reconfirm your delivery address to avoid any mistake during delivery of your $1.5m ATM card.

You are urgently advised to send the $98 delivery fee via western union or money gram in the name of the dispatch officer stated below, then after forward me the payment confirmation for immediate delivery of your ATM card.

Here is the western union or money gram payment information for the sending of the $98 courier fee of your ATM card:

Receiver name:////////// Onyeka Oko

City://////////////////////////// Abuja

Country://////////////////////////// Nigeria

Test question:////////////////////////// honest

Test answer:////////////////////////////// trust

Amount://///////////////////////////////////// $98

After paying the $98 courier part payment, you should send the following payment information's to me.

1. Sender's name and address

2. MTCN number

3. Text question & answer.

Attached is my wordking ID for your record keeping. FORWARD PAYMENT INFORMATION'S TO EMAIL: carman_info1@mynet.com

I await your immediate attention on the $98 courier part payment to enable delivery proceed today.

Sincerely yours,
Ms. Carman Lapointe,
United Nations OIOS.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam